President Donald Trump wants to build a Space Academy in the United States and Louisiana officials believe it should be in the Bayou State. Greater New Orleans Inc, president and CEO Michael Hecht says the New Orleans area would be the perfect place. Hecht says there’s already rocket factory in New Orleans East, NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility.
“We’ve been building manned spaceflights since the ’60s. Now we have the largest launch facility in the world, SpaceX in Vermilion Parish. We have Stennis, not too far across the border. Man, we should go for that and try to place it somewhere in Louisiana,” Hecht said.
The space academy would be led by NASA, and it would educate future scientists, engineers, astronauts and warfighters to advance American interests across the aerospace sector. States have until October 26th to submit a proposal. Hecht says the competition is fierce.
“We’ll be competing against Texas. We’ll be competing against Florida. But we think we have a good chance and, at a bare minimum, it’s going to put Louisiana into the national space conversation,” Hecht explained.
Louisiana’s Congressional delegation led by House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise are lobbying for the space center to be built in southeast Louisiana. Hecht says it would be out of this world if Louisiana could be home to the Space Academy.
“I think that we have a real shot for this. I do not think that this is a pie in the sky or a satellite in the sky type of deal,” Hecht noted.
The Trump Administration’s plan is to begin construction next year and classes would begin in 2028.